4,000 martial law victims to get partial compensation

The Human Rights Victims Claims Board (HRVCB) has approved the release of partial compensation for 4,000 martial law victims, Malacañang announced on Tuesday.

President Ernesto Abella said the claims board requested P300 million as reparation for the victims.

“HRVCB sped up the process of evaluating and releasing of claims of Martial Law victims as part of its commitment to President Rodrigo Duterte’s goal to expedite the release of the claims,” Abella told reporters.
Of the 4,000 names submitted, 2,661 are “conclusively presumed victims” while 1,339 are new applicants.

“The HRVCB and its resolutions committed to distribute 50 percent of the total estimated reparation value due to the first 4,000 eligible claimants,” Abella said.

He added that the exact amount to be given to each claimant was determined through a point system based on the extent of suffering of the victim.

“The claims board following the point system prescribed the reparation law which came up with a total of 23,567 points to be awarded to the first batch of claimants,” Abella said.

One point is equivalent to P25,000.

The HRCVB and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) earlier signed an agreement to use the bank’s cash card facility to pay legitimate claimants.

Duterte earlier met with officers of the Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (Selda) and members of HRVCB in Malacañang and agreed to pay 50 percent of the compensation.

HRVCB should publish the list of names of these claimants and the circumstances of their eligibility to their claims. For so long, these anonymous individuals have been hiding under the tag ” tens of thousands human rights victims of Marcos” purposely it seems to demonize Marcos, it is time the Filipinos could scrutinize them one by one if indeed they are victims worthy of our sympathy or just plain rebels who are cleverly monetizing on their lost cause.